Method and apparatus for conveying material

ABSTRACT

Material dislodged by a continuously advancing mining machine is conveyed rearwardly by a conveyor means on the mining machine and discharged into a movable surge vehicle. At a fixed discharge station a flexible belt has one end portion coiled on a first rotatable spindle and the other end portion coiled on a second rotatable spindle positioned rearwardly of the first rotatable spindle. The intermediate portion of the belt is reeved about an idler pulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and is movable therewith. The intermediate portion of the flexible belt forms an upper strand portion extending from the coil on the first spindle to the idler pulley and a lower strand portion extending from the second rotatable spindle to the idler pulley. The lower strand is arranged to slide along the mine floor and the upper strand is arranged to slide on the upper surface of the lower strand and convey material from the movable surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station. Drive means rotates the first rotatable spindle to coil the upper strand of the flexible belt thereon and move the successive portion of the upper strand from the surge vehicle toward the fixed discharge station while the lower strand is being uncoiled from the second rotatable spindle. Material is discharged from the surge vehicle onto the moving upper strand and is conveyed to the fixed discharge station where the conveyed material is transferred to a fixed conveyor. In one embodiment, a second coil of flexible belt is positioned on the second spindle when the first flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom. The end of the second flexible belt is spliced to the end of the first flexible belt to form a continuation thereof. When the first flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle the end portion is disconnected from the end portion of the second coil of flexible belt and removed from the first spindle. In another embodiment, when a preselected amount of flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle, the second spindle is rotated to uncoil the belt on the first spindle and coil the flexible belt on the second spindle, thus providing a predetermined length of flexible belt for the upper strand to convey additional dislodged material from the surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station.

nite Sttes Patent 191 Poundstone 1 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYINGMATERIAL [75]. Inventor: William N. Poundstone, Pittsburgh,

[73] Assignee: Consolidation Coal Company,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Oct. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 191,388

Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-.l0seph E. Valenza[57] ABSTRACT Material dislodged by a continuously advancing miningmachine is conveyed rearwardly by a conveyor means on the mining machineand discharged into a movable surge vehicle. At a fixed dischargestation a flexible belt has one end portion coiled on a first rotatablespindle and the other end portion coiled on a second rotatable spindlepositioned rearwardly of the first rotatable spindle. The intermediateportion of the belt m1 asses Mar-.5, 1974 is reeved about an idlerpulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and is movable therewith.The intermediate portion of the flexible belt forms an upper strandportion extending from the coil on the first spindle to the idler pulleyand a lower strand portion extending from the second rotatable spindleto the idler pulley. The lower strand is arranged to slide along themine floor and the upper strand is arranged to slide on the uppersurface of the lower strand and convey material from the movable surgevehicle to the fixed discharge station. Drive means rotates the firstrotatable spindle to coil the upper strand of the flexible belt thereonand move the successive portion of the upper strand from the surgevehicle toward the fixed discharge station while the lower strand isbeing uncoiled from the second rotatable spindle. Material is dischargedfrom the surge vehicle onto the moving upper strand and is conveyed tothe fixed discharge station where the conveyed material is transferredto a fixed conveyor. In one embodiment, a second coil of flexible beltis positioned on the second spindle when the first flexible belt isuncoiled therefrom. The end of the second flexible belt is spliced tothe end of the first flexible belt to form a continuation thereof. Whenthe first flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle the end portionis disconnected from the end portion of the second coil of flexible beltand removed from the first spindle. in another embodiment, when apreselected amount of flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle, thesecond spindle is rotated to uncoil the belt on the first spindle andcoil the flexible belt on the second spindle, thus providing apredetermined length of flexible belt for the upper strand to conveyadditional dislodged material from the surge vehicle to the fixeddischarge station.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MATERIALCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS A co-pending application filedunder even date herewith by John D. Russell and assigned to the sameassignee is directed to a flexible belt type of conveying mechanism andisentitled Method and Apparatus For Conveying Material. 7

A second c o-pending application filed under even date herewith by JohnD. Russell and assigned to the same assignee is directed to a flexiblebelt type of conveying mechanism and is entitled Method and Appa' ratusfor Continuous Mining.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of spooled ribbon type extensiblesupport for endless flexible belting is known and is disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 2,774,462. With the arrangement disclosed in this United Statespatent, the extensibility of the conveyor belt is limited by the lengthof the endless flexible conveyor belt supported on the coiled extensiblesup port. v In US. Pat. No. 3,533,660 there is illustrated conveyingapparatus for transporting dislodged material from a continuouslyadvancing mining machine to a fixed discharge station. A flexible belthas one end coiled on a spindle mounted on the mining machine and theother end coiled on a spindle'mounted adjacent the fixed dischargestation. The dislodged material is deposited on the upper surface of theflexible belt adjacent the first spindle and the flexible belt is coiledabout the second spindle adjacent the fixed discharge station to movesuccessive sections of the flexible belting from the continuous miningmachine to the fixed discharge station. Periodically, the flexible beltis un coiled from the spindle adjacent the fixed discharge station andcoiled on the first spindle mounted on the mining machine. The firstspindle mounted on the mining machine limits substantially the size ofthe coil of flexible belting that can be wound on the spindle mounted onth mining machine. Further, a substantialperiod of time is required touncoil the belting from the spindle adjacent the discharge station andagain coil the flexible belting on the spindle mounted on the miningmachine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hereinafter described invention is directedto a method and apparatus for conveying material from a continuallyadvancing loading station to a fixed discharge station and includes amovable surge vehicle at the loading station. A first spindle is mountedadjacent to the fixed discharge station and a second spindle is alsomounted adjacent to the fixed discharge station at a location rearwardlyof the first spindle. Drive means are provided to selectively rotate thespindles in preselected directions. A flexible belt has one end portionconnected to the first spindle so that upon rotation of the firstspindle in a preselected direction the flexible belt is coiled on thefirst spindle. The second end portion of the flexible belt is connectedto and coiled on the second spindle so that upon rotation of the firstspindle the flexible belt is uncoiled from the second spindle. There isan idler pulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and an intermediateportion of the belt is reeved about the idler pulley to form a lowerstrand and an upper strand. Material is discharged from the surgevehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand and the coiling ofthe flexible belt on the first spindle moves successive sections of theupper strand toward the fixed discharge station to thereby convey thematerial deposited thereon toward the discharge station.

A second coil of flexible belt may be positioned on the second spindleafter the first flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom. An end portion ofthe second flexible belt is connected to an end portion of the firstflexible belt to provide additional belting for transporting thedislodged material. The first flexible belt, when coiled on the firstspindle, may be disconnected from the second flexible belt and removedtherefrom as a coil to be positioned on the second spindle when thesecond flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom.

With the above arrangement the material may be dis charged directly fromthe surge vehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand andtransported to the fixed discharge station where the conveyed materialis removed from the flexible belt upper strand by means of a suitableplow type device. The material is discharged by the plow type deviceonto a second fixed conveying means at the fixed discharge station.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide amethod and apparatus for conveying material on the upper surface of theupper strand of a flexible belt.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor conveying material in which the material is discharged directly fromthe surge vehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand of flexiblebelt.

These and other objects and advantages of this inven tion will be morecompletely disclosed and described in the following specification, theaccompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partiallyschematic, illustrating the apparatus for conveying material from amoving surge vehicle to a fixed conveying apparatus on the upper strandof a flexible belL.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line lllIIl of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings,there is illustrated schematically an underground mine generallydesignated by the numeral 10 that has a main longitudinal haulageway 12with one of a plurality of laterally extending rooms or entries 14. Theroom 14 has side walls or ribs [6 and 18 and a front face 20. The room14 is formed by a continuous mining machine generally designated by thenumeral 22 dislodging material from the continually advancing face 20.The.width of the room 14 between the ribs 16 and 18 is substantially thewidth of the cutting elements 24 extending forwardly from the boringtype mining machine 22. The material, such as coal, dislodged from theface 20 is conveyed rearwardly along a rearwardly extending conveyor 26on v the mining machine 22. The material is discharged from the miningmachine conveyor 26 into a surge vehicle generally designated by thenumeral 28. The surge vehicle is mounted on pairs of wheels 30 and isarranged to advance with the mining machine 22. The surge vehicle 28 maybe self-propelled or, where desired, the surge vehicle 28 may beconnected to the mining machine 22 for continuous advancement therewith.The surge vehicle 28 has a longitudinally extending material storagecompartment 32 with an endless conveyor 34 therein. The endless conveyor34 is arranged to move the material discharged from the mining machineconveyor 26 rearwardly in the surge vehicle 28. The surge vehicle 28 hassufficient surge capacity to permit continuous operation of the miningmachine 22 and a controlled discharge of the material from the surgevehicle 28 onto the flexible belt conveyor means. as later described.

In the haulageway 12 there is positioned a fixed conveyor 36 onto whichthe discharged material is deposited from the flexible belt conveyor bya plow device generally designated by the numeral 38. For convenience.the inner section of the main haulageway l2 and the room 14 will bereferred to as a fixed discharge station 40 at which material istransferred from the extensible flexible conveyor means to the fixedconveyor 36.

At the discharge station 40 there is a support member 42 on which afirst rotatable spindle 44 and a second rotatable spindle 46 aremounted. The second rotatable spindle 46 is positioned-rearwardly withinthe haulageway l2 from the first rotatable spindle 44. A drive motor 48is suitably connected to the first spindle 44 to rotate the spindle 44in a preselected direction. A second motor 50 is suitably connected tothe second spindle 46 and is arranged to rotate the second spindle 46 ina preselected direction.

An idler pulley 52 is rotatably supported from the rear portion of thesurge vehicle 28 by means of brackets 54. The brackets 54 are suitablyhinged at 56 to compensate for undulations in the mine floor 58. A firstlength of flexible belt generally designated by the numeral 60 has afirst end portion coiled about the first rotatable spindle 44 and asecond end portion coiled about the second rotatable spindle 46. Theintermediate portion of the flexible belt 60 is reeved about idlerpulley 52 to form an upper strand 62 and a lower strand 64. The lowerstrand is arranged to slide on the mine floor 58 in the direction of thearrow 66 in FIG. 2 and the upper strand 62 is arranged to slide on theupper surface of the lower strand 64 in-the direction of the arrow 68 inH6. 2.

The material dislodged by the mining machine 22 is conveyed rearwardlyon the mining machine conveyor 26 and discharged into the materialhaulage compartment 32 of surge vehicle 28. The endless conveyor 34 insurge vehicle 28 moves the dislodged material rearwardly at a controlledrate within the surge vehicle material haulage compartment 32. Theconveyor 34 discharges the material from the surge vehicle 28 onto theupper surface of the top strand 62. The motor 48 is energized to coilthe upper strand 62 on the first spindle 44 and convey the materialdischarged onto the upper surface of the upper strand 62 toward thefixed discharge station 40. Simultaneously, the second rotatable spindle46 rotates in the opposite direction to uncoil the flexible belttherefrom to provide additional belting for the upper strand 62.

At the fixed discharge station 40 the transfer device 38 which includesa conventional shaped plow like member 70 that is arranged to guide thematerial laterally from the upper surface of upper strand 62 onto thefixed conveyor device 36. Where desired, a suitable cleaning device maybe employed to remove the remaining dislodged material from the flexiblebelt 60 before the belt is wound as a coil on the first rotatablespindle 44. The fixed conveyor 36 may include a receiver portion 72positioned below the upper strand 62 of the flexible belt to receive thematerial transferred thereto as illustrated in FIG. 3.

When a predetermined amount of flexible belt 60 remains coiled on thesecond rotatable spindle 46 the discharge conveyor 34 on the surgevehicle 28 is stopped to permit the material on the upper surface of theupper strand 62 to be conveyed to the fixed conveyor 36. When all of thedislodged material is transferred from the upper strand 62 onto thefixed conveyor 36 little, if any, of the flexible belt 60 remains coiledon the second rotatable spindle 46. To replenish the flexible belt 60for conveying the dislodged material. the motor 50 associated with thesecond rotatable spindle 46 is energized to coil the flexible beltingthereon and uncoil the flexible belting from the first rotatable spindle44. After substantially all of the flexible belt 60 has been uncoiledfrom the first rotatable spindle 44, the endless conveyor 34 in thesurge vehicle 28 again commences dislodging material from the materialstorage compartment 32 onto the upper surface of the upper strand 62.With this arrangement the continuous mining machine continues to advanceinto the face 20 and dislodge material therefrom and transfer thedislodged material by means of a mining machine conveyor 26 into thesurge vehicle 28 while the belt is being uncoiled from the firstrotatable spindle 44 and coiled on the second rotatable spindle 46. Withthe surge vehicle it is possible to replenish the belting in theextensible conveyor without interrupting the mining operation.

Where desired, a second coil of flexible belting generally designated bythe numeral 74 may be positioned on the second rotatable spindle 46 whenthe flexible belt 60 has been uncoiled therefrom. The free end portionof the flexible belt in coil 74 is spliced to the flexible belt 60 toprovide additional belting for conveying the dislodged material from thesurge vehicle 28 to the fixed discharge station 40. When all of theflexible belt 60 is coiled on the first rotatable spindle 44 the belt isdisconnected from the end of the flexible belt in coil 74 and the coilof flexible belting 60 is removed from the first rotatable spindle 44and positioned on the second rotatable spindle 46 when additionalbelting is required. It should be noted that the surge vehicle 28 isarranged to receive material dislodged by the continuous mining machine22 while the coils of flexible belting are being positioned on andremoved from the receiver spindle and end portions of the flexible beltconnected to each other so that the belt 60 and surge vehi cle 28 permitcontinuous mining by the mining machine 22 without interrupting for beltchange over or replacement belting on the respective spindles. Utilizingthe surface of the upper strand 62 eliminates the requirement forseparating hopper or conveyor means to feed the material to the lowerstrand of the conveyor. The undersurface of the upper strand sliding onthe upper surface of the lower strand, although the strands are movingin the opposite direction, has a low coefficient of frictiontherebetween. Fine sized coal particles between the belt strands serveas a friction reducing means between the flexible belt strands.

it is preferred that the flexible belt be metal and fabricated fromstainless steel or other high tensile strength steel to permit the beltto be subjected to substantial tensile loads, since the length of theconveying reach and the amount of material deposited on the flexiblebelt is dependent on the tensile strength of the flexible belt. Althoughthe upper strand 62 is in tension between the idler pulley 52 and thefirst rotatable spindle 44, when material is being conveyed thereon, theweight of the material maintains the upper strand 62 in substantiallythe position illustrated in the drawings. Where desired, however,suitable idler pulleys may be positioned to abut the upper surface upperstrand 62 to prevent excessive spillage of the material conveyedthereon.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained theprinciple, preferred construction and mode of operation of my inventionand have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent itsbest embodiments. However,'l desire to have it understood that, withinthe scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station comprising,

a movable material receiving device operable to receive dislodgedmaterial discharged from a continuously advancing mining machine, 7

a first spindle mounted adjacent to a fixed discharge station,

a second spindle mounted adjacent to said fixed discharge stationrearwardly ofsaid first spindle,

drive means to selectively rotate at least one of said spindles in apreselected direction,

a flexible belt having an end portion connected to said first spindle sothat upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected direction saidflexible belt is coiled on said first spindle,

said flexible belt having a second end portion coiled on said secondspindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselecteddirection said flexible belt is uncoiled from said second spindle,

an idler pulley connected to said movable receiving device,

said flexible belt having an intermediate portion reeved about saididler pulley forming a lower strand and an upper strand, said upperstrand positioned in overlying and abutting relation with said lowerstrand, and

discharge means in said movable material receiving device to dischargematerial from said movable material receiving device onto the uppersurface of said upper strand, said drive means operable to rotate saidfirst spindle and move said upper strand intermediate portion towardsaid discharge station and convey said dislodged material positionedthereon toward said discharge station.

2. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said movable material receiving device comprises a self propelled surgevehicle having a longitudinally extending material receiving compartmentwith a conveyor means positioned therein,

said surge vehicle arranged to receive dislodged ma terial from saidmining machine and said conveyor means in said surge vehicle operable tomove said dislodged material rearwardly within said material receivingcompartment and discharge said dislodged material at a controlled rateonto the upper surface of said upper strand of said flexible belt.

3. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said flexible belt upper strand slides on the upper surface of saidlower strand as said upper strand intermediate portion moves toward saiddischarge station.

4. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a fixed conveyor means positioned at said discharge station, and

stationary plow means at said discharge station operable to transfersaid dislodged material on said flexible belt upper strand onto saidfixed conveyor means.

5. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station comprising,

receiving dislodged material from a continuous mining machine in amovable material receiving device spaced from a fixed discharge station,

reeving a length of flexible belting around idler means connected to andmovable with said movable receiving device and forming an upper strandportion and a lower strand portion,

connecting said upper strand portion to a first rotat able spindleadjacent to said discharge station and positioning the other end of saidflexible belting as a coil on a second rotatable spindle mountedrearwardly of said first rotatable spindle away from said movablematerial receiving device,

discharging dislodged material at a controlled rate from said movablematerial receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strandportion,

rotating said first rotatable spindle to coil said upper strand thereonand convey said material toward said discharge station while uncoilingsaid flexible belting from said second rotatable spindle, and

sliding said upper strand on said lower strand while conveying dislodgedmaterial from said movable material receiving device to said fixeddischarge station.

6. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5 which includes,

7 Y 8 storing said dislodged material in said movable matestrand whilesaid upper strand is moving in a direcrial receiving device whilerotating said second tion toward said discharge station, and spindle tocoil said lower strand thereon and uncoil storing dislodged materialbeing discharged by said said flexible belting from said first rotatablespincontinuous mining machine in said material receivdle. ing devicewhile said lower strand is moving toward 7. A method for conveyingmaterials from a movable said discharge station. loading station to afixed discharge station as set forth 8. A method for conveying materialsfrom a movable in claim 5 which includes, loading station to a fixeddischarge station as set forth continuously discharging materialdislodged by said in claim 7 which includes,

continuous mining machine into said movable ma- 10 transferring saiddislodged material from the upper terial receiving device, surface ofsaid upper strand to another fixed condischarging dislodged materialfrom said material reveying means at said discharge station. ceivingdevice onto the upper surface of said upper i $32353? UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent vNo; 3,795,304 DatedMarch 5 1974 Inventm-(S) William N Poundstone It is eertified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that sald Letters Patent arehereby corrected'as shown below:

In the claims,

Column 8, line 9 "as set forth in claim 7" should read -as set forth inclaim 5-- Sign ed and sealed this 2nd day of July 1974' i (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. C.MAI RSH1 \LL DANN Attesting Officer ICommlssloner of Patents

1. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to afixed discharge station comprising, a movable material receiving deviceoperable to receive dislodged material discharged from a continuouslyadvancing mining machine, a first spindle mounted adjacent to a fixeddischarge station, a second spindle mounted adjacent to said fixeddischarge station rearwardly of said first spindle, drive means toselectively rotate at least one of said spindles in a preselecteddirection, a flexible belt having an end portion connected to said firstspindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselecteddirection said flexible belt is coiled on said first spindle, saidflexible belt having a second end portion coiled on said second spindleso that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected directionsaid flexible belt is uncoiled from said second spindle, an idler pulleyconnected to said movable receiving device, said flexible belt having anintermediate portion reeved about said idler pulley forming a lowerstrand and an upper strand, said upper strand positioned in overlyingand abutting relation with said lower strand, and discharge means insaid movable material receiving device to discharge material from saidmovable material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upperstrand, said drive means operable to rotate said first spindle and movesaid upper strand intermediate portion toward said discharge station andconvey said dislodged material positioned thereon toward said dischargestation.
 2. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loadingstation to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which,said movable material receiving device comprises a self propelled surgevehicle having a longitudinally extending material receiving compartmentwith a conveyor means positioned therein, said surge vehicle arranged toreceive dislodged materiAl from said mining machine and said conveyormeans in said surge vehicle operable to move said dislodged materialrearwardly within said material receiving compartment and discharge saiddislodged material at a controlled rate onto the upper surface of saidupper strand of said flexible belt.
 3. Apparatus for conveying materialfrom a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forthin claim 1 in which, said flexible belt upper strand slides on the uppersurface of said lower strand as said upper strand intermediate portionmoves toward said discharge station.
 4. Apparatus for conveying materialfrom a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forthin claim 1 which includes, a fixed conveyor means positioned at saiddischarge station, and stationary plow means at said discharge stationoperable to transfer said dislodged material on said flexible belt upperstrand onto said fixed conveyor means.
 5. A method for conveyingmaterials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge stationcomprising, receiving dislodged material from a continuous miningmachine in a movable material receiving device spaced from a fixeddischarge station, reeving a length of flexible belting around idlermeans connected to and movable with said movable receiving device andforming an upper strand portion and a lower strand portion, connectingsaid upper strand portion to a first rotatable spindle adjacent to saiddischarge station and positioning the other end of said flexible beltingas a coil on a second rotatable spindle mounted rearwardly of said firstrotatable spindle away from said movable material receiving device,discharging dislodged material at a controlled rate from said movablematerial receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strandportion, rotating said first rotatable spindle to coil said upper strandthereon and convey said material toward said discharge station whileuncoiling said flexible belting from said second rotatable spindle, andsliding said upper strand on said lower strand while conveying dislodgedmaterial from said movable material receiving device to said fixeddischarge station.
 6. A method for conveying materials from a movableloading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5which includes, storing said dislodged material in said movable materialreceiving device while rotating said second spindle to coil said lowerstrand thereon and uncoil said flexible belting from said firstrotatable spindle.
 7. A method for conveying materials from a movableloading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5which includes, continuously discharging material dislodged by saidcontinuous mining machine into said movable material receiving device,discharging dislodged material from said material receiving device ontothe upper surface of said upper strand while said upper strand is movingin a direction toward said discharge station, and storing dislodgedmaterial being discharged by said continuous mining machine in saidmaterial receiving device while said lower strand is moving toward saiddischarge station.
 8. A method for conveying materials from a movableloading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 7which includes, transferring said dislodged material from the uppersurface of said upper strand to another fixed conveying means at saiddischarge station.